For a while now, I have wanted to become an air traffic controller, Ever since about seventh grade. I Am currently a junior at a high school in Connecticut. What are some of the things I should do to become an ATC. Today I got back my ASVAB results, and my second interest code, it was conventional, low and behold ATC was there.

thanks a bundle! With the research I have done, it said that I need 4 year of collage or, three year work experanice before entering a school. Do those school apply, or is this a diffrent program of some sort

thanks a bundle! With the research I have done, it said that I need 4 year of collage or, three year work experanice before entering a school. Do those school apply, or is this a diffrent program of some sort

That's not true. Most CTI programs are 4 years but there are a couple of 2-year programs as well. And you don't need any work experience to enter any of them.

Make sure you know what your getting yourself into though. NATCA and the FAA are having BIG contract talks right now and its not looking too good for the controllers.

In what way is it not looking good? Pay, benefits, an uncertain future (outsourcing)?

I think it is admirable that this person knows what he wants to do at his age. Me? I screwed around during and after high school, then entered college a few years later in a degree in which I really was not interested. By the time I realized that I was interested in ATC as a career, I was bumping up against their maximum age (30) of entry into the program. Needless to say, I didn't make the program.

My recommendation to the originator of this thread is to take all the necessary steps to enter the program now. Good luck to you!

This is a post from a ZJX Dev. on the atccti.com forum, with the new pay scale is included.

AG (Academy Grad) $31,100 A side $36,335 D side $41,570 R side $57,275 CPC $66,000 to $94,900 (after 30 years on job) CURRENTLY CPC PAY IS $110,00-140,000

"Under the FAAs last best offer, anyone who is not a CPC will fall under this scale. However our pay currently will not be cut. I am making 61,000 as an A side right now (compare that with the $36,335). But my pay will not be lowered. However I will not get a raise again until I am CPC. It will be a 5 grand raise!!!! whoopie"

I don't know if this was changed in the new contract. But the FAA was proposing, no incentive pay to an instructor. Which as some know, if your Developmental has a deal. Your charged with it..... In the new contract, they want to make pay scales by each Area in the ARTCCs. So they count up the traffic, and give your area a rating. That would be the demise of facility ratings, so someone in a less intense Area will get screwed over. While some guy busting his ass off with get the "promising" B scale. If your ARTCC Area is made say a Level 9. This would be the pay scale.

AG (Academy Grad) $31,100 A side $34,550 D side $38,000 R side $48,350 CPC $54,100 to 76,500 (after 30 years on job) CURRENTLY CPC PAY IS $110,00-140,000

PHL_Approach's post basically backs up what I was saying. The new pay scale proposed by the FAA is a joke. I could be a fry cook at Mc'Donalds, put up with less bullshit then controllers do, and make more money than an Academy Grad.

Im not trying to discourage him or anthing; I just think If someone wants to get into this career they should know what kinda future they are looking at.

Im younger than he is, so it has nothing to do with age. Ive seriousily looked into ATC as a career, but with all the crap going on right now Im not so sure. Both of us have a while though. A lot can happen in a few years.

Zotan, how old are you...And as for the person saying dont discourage him, i have gotton alot of discouragement already. When I was younger, i wanted to be a pilot, so something to do with avation would be cool. I really would like to be a controller. I'd like to thank everyone for answering my questions. Another thing, with the live feeds, I can't get it to play. It loads fine and on all my players it says its playing. i have tried winamp, real player, and windows media player..suggestions?

As far as discouragement or not--It appears to me that, from here forward, if somebody wants a career in air traffic control, it'll be because they love the job. That's an acceptable reason--actually a damn good one. But, it's not going to be a job for somebody who hates it and is only in it for the money.